It's mildly mad. How can you expect farmers to pay for the costs of gun crime ?

I suppose the advantage of an annual fee is that it discourages doddery old farmers, who have the space to store anything, from just keeping them when they have ceased farming. Also, a gun register needs to be accurate for changes of ownership etc. Currently the non owners are paying this cost for mr plod, who are always claiming to be too skint to chase laggards, as they cruise in their scoobies and beemers.

The majority of gun crime in the UK is committed using illegally imported weapons by criminals or by nutcases who aren't picked up by the police firearms officers. None of the Green Party proposals would help much in this regard.

The prohibited weapons are generally prohibited already apart from a three shot pump action shotgun. Automatic and semi-automatic firearms are already banned.

It's headline grabbing non policy apart from the fact that it failed to grab any headlines. Waste of time and trees._________________As Steve Keen puts it: “Capital without energy is a statue; labour without energy is a corpse.” Economics ignores this which is why economics is broken.

The Gun Control and Gun Crime section is a small part of the Crime and Justice policy. Most of it is already the law of the land with just a slight shift of emphasis. Not headline grabbing because it doesn't depart much from what has already been widely accepted. The single sentence about funding probably won't make it into legislation.

A waste of time and trees? No trees were harmed (unless you went and printed the stuff out) and Green Party policy, unlike that of other parties, is set out in detail with each line debated and agreed and only capable of amendment at Conference open to all members._________________http://biffvernon.blogspot.co.uk/

That bit is already a prime consideration on the part of responsible shooters. Obviously the criminal element, which is entirely uncontrolled and outside the law, are not so responsible. Insinuating that it is possible to tighten the laws on gun control and see any improvements in gun crime is completely irresponsible although it might appeal to green lefties._________________As Steve Keen puts it: “Capital without energy is a statue; labour without energy is a corpse.” Economics ignores this which is why economics is broken.

The number of votes garnered by the Tories mean that a large number of non posh people voted for them, even up North! And a large number of posh people vote for other parties so that means an even greater proportion of their vote comes from the non posh. And they cannot all be aspiring to posh!_________________As Steve Keen puts it: “Capital without energy is a statue; labour without energy is a corpse.” Economics ignores this which is why economics is broken.

Africa does not have much of a railway network. The Indian one was a great achievement of the British empire.

Yes, that's a pity. A pan-African rail network would have had the potential to unite the continent and facilitate trade in ways that have never happened in Africa.

Probably a bit late now, as we're well into our descent.

There were several railways built during the colonial period in Africa but as with most good things in Africa from the colonial period they have succumbed to African government neglect and corruption. Contrast the fates and economies of ex Empire and Commonwealth African and Asian countries. Only South Africa in Africa prospered and even that is now going down the drain._________________As Steve Keen puts it: “Capital without energy is a statue; labour without energy is a corpse.” Economics ignores this which is why economics is broken.

Tomorrow the Queen will announce the Government's plans for the coming year. Here's my proposals for a Queen's speech that would truly redistribute power and wealth in the UK.
I would love to here people's thoughts on this!
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We want a Queen's Speech that sets out a legislative programme for the just transition to a more sustainable economy, both financially and ecologically. One that shifts power into the hands of the public, fairly distributes wealth and resources, and asserts the benefits of collective ownership and responsibility.
We want a GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL that will guarantee low-carbon development is a central objective for the flagship infrastructure commission. A Bill that sets out how infrastructure will enable us to deliver on our carbon budgets and that empowers local communities to ensure fossil fuels stay in the ground.
We want a RESILIENT ECONOMY BILL that sets out alternative indicators for measuring the success of our economy, based on social and environmental wellbeing.
We want a PUBLIC HOUSING BILL that will deliver the 250,000 new homes that need to be built between now and 2020 (Check dates and figures - this from manifesto from memory) and that, coupled with a RENTERS BILL to better protect tenants, will ensure the right to decent affordable housing is enjoyed by everyone.
We want a PUBLIC OWNERSHIP BILL that builds on and grows the social value of our public services, A Bill that makes public ownership the default option before any services, national or local, are contracted out to the private sector; gives the public the right to recall private companies running public services poorly; and requires financial and other transparency from private companies running public services.
We want a ELECTORAL REFORM BILL that replaces the outdated first past the post system with a proportional one that makes every vote count.
And we want the Queen's Speech to contain plans for A REVIEW OF OUR OUTDATED WELFARE MODEL with a view to replacing it with a radical new settlement that recognises social security should be a contract between citizens, giving people an equal share in what society has to offer alongside responsibility for themselves and one another. This means exploring the option of a universal basic income, addressing the ongoing de-skilling and automation of our economy, & tackling growing wealth inequality, including through a fairer tax system.
A Queen's Speech that transform the economy into one that benefits the majority, protects our environment and gives everyone a stake in our common future.